Moving from Colorado to Montana? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Preparing to embark on a long-distance cross-country move can be exceedingly stressful. Packing up your family’s entire life and moving it from one state to another is already hard enough, but doubly so if you have to cross multiple state lines in the interim. That’s why Rocky Movers is here for you.

Rocky Movers: The Best Long Distance Movers in Denver, CO

Primarily based out of the Denver Metropolitan area but with connections and experiences across the entire country, Rocky Movers is the premiere cross-country moving company in Denver. With our highly trained and experienced team, Rocky Movers is equipped to handle your most cherished possessions with the utmost care at an affordable cost. Rocky Movers also prides itself on having a team that is super helpful to our clients, able to provide a quick breakdown of the moving plan and a complete guide to exactly how we are going to handle your move.

From Colorado to Montana

An increasingly popular move that our team at Rocky Movers is assisting with is residents moving from Colorado to Montana. If you are considering a move to Montana for you and your family, here are all the things to consider.

Moving to Montana: Know the Basics

In the years since the 2020 outbreak of the pandemic, Montana has increasingly become home to some of the most popular cities for both American and international visitors. In fact, the last two years have seen a higher number of people moving to Montana than at any other time in history.

And it’s easy to see why. With its affordable housing, reasonably low property tax, and the complete absence of a sales tax, Montana has become a go-to favorite for many families, especially young families. The pandemic hit people hard, financially speaking, and left many young families looking for a reprieve. In Montana, many have found their answer.

The Affordability of Montana

As of 2022, the cost of living costs less in Montana than the national average. From its 0.87 percent property tax, nonexistent sales tax, and exceedingly progressive income tax structure, Montana’s living costs are by-and-large substantially lower than the national average.

The cost of living index in MT is 94. Compare this to the cost of living index in one of the nation’s other states, and the difference becomes apparent. The cost of living index in a city such as San Francisco, CA, can be as high as 149.9, a gargantuan 135% greater cost of living than Montana.

Montana’s Zero Sales Tax

To further illustrate just how low the cost of living is in Montana compared to the rest of the country as a whole, the median home value in Montana is currently $99,500. The current median home value in the U.S. at large is $188,900, nearly double the home prices that they are valued at in Montana.

Montana’s Median Rent Costs

Even the median rent costs in Montana are substantially lower than the national average. The median value renters pay in Montana is currently only $783 per month, which is nearly a whole $300 less than the national average. Even the bigger cities within the Big Sky State, such as Missoula, offer a much more affordable average rent cost, with it only costing $626 for a studio apartment on average.

What is the Population of Montana?

Despite its status as nearly the smallest-sized state in the U.S. (the third smallest state in the entire country), Montana’s population has seen a steady increase across the last two decades. The state’s population is currently sitting at just over 1.8 million residents, a growth of over nine percent since 2000, which is nothing to scoff at.

In 2021 alone, 118,857 residents relocated to Montana, the vast majority of them in the crucial age range of between 18 and 25. Aside from millennials, the other primary demographic that makes up Montana’s population is older residents in search of comfortable living and recreation activities for their retirement.

Retirees in Montana

With its exceptional tax rates all around, it should come as no surprise that Montana also offers fairly good tax rates for retiree income. This, paired with its aforementioned rural areas, scenic beauty, and focus on recreation, has made the state an increasingly popular choice of residency for retirees.

Montana is Politically Diverse

The age range of the state’s population contributes substantially to the state’s political division and breadth of activities. Just as the ages of residents in Montana are well defined between the younger demographic and the older one, so too is the living environments of the state, between its rural areas and its big cities.

The state’s urban population is largely conservative, while the cities’ population skew much more liberal in their voting. This is best exemplified by Montana’s electoral college votes generally leaning towards strong Republican votes, while their Senator, Jon Tester, remains a proud Democrat. Living in Montana is conducive to living a full, active life, which is no doubt why so many are looking to move to Montana.

The Job Market in the Big Sky Country

Montana boasts an average annual pay of between $20,184 and $144,105. Meanwhile, the average annual pay for hourly jobs sits in the middle of those figures, coming in at $56,575, with an average hourly rate of $27.20 per hour.

Montana living also rebounded significantly from their pandemic-era unemployment rate. In April 2020, just as COVID-19 was impacting the nation’s economy and workforce in a big way, Montana’s unemployment rate was 11.9%. In stark contrast, as of 2022, their unemployment rate now sits at 3.1%, meaning that Montana has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. All of this, in conjunction with the low cost of living, makes Montana a dream location for financially struggling families in search of a home.

The Most Popular Industries in the State’s Job Market

The highest-paying salary jobs in Montana are engineer, architect, and the larger umbrella term of healthcare specialists. Simultaneously, Montana is experiencing routinely positive growth within its job market and has been for several years now. Part of this is due to the fact that numerous large industries work out of Montana and help to drive the state’s thriving economy. Thus, moving to Montana means living alongside these large industries and, more than likely, working with or investing in these industries, with more than enough jobs to go around.

The top industries in Montana are currently: healthcare, real estate, recreation, forestry, energy, travel, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and construction. All of these further drive home the idea of what living in Montana is all about: living life to the fullest with many outdoor activities and recreational events.

Why Montana is a Good and Safe Place to Live

When considering moving to Montana, one of the most important tips Rocky Movers can offer is to thoroughly consider which area of Montana you’re most interested in living in. Because the state’s urban-rural dividing line separates two substantially different experiences, each rooted in and geared towards satisfying substantially different needs. Here’s what the team at Rocky Movers wants you to know to make your move to Montana as beautiful and effortless as it possibly can be.

Crime Rates in Montana

Undeniably, one of the most pressing factors one will be looking for when moving to Montana is the knowledge that one’s home and family can feel safe in their new home state. Fortunately for those moving to Montana, the state sports very low crime rates when compared to other states and has routinely proven itself to be one of the safest states.

As of 2022, Montana has a violent crime rate average of 4.7 per 1,000 residents and a property crime rate of 21.2 per 1,000 residents. For comparison’s sake, the 2022 Colorado crime rates show an average violent crime rate of 4.2 per 1,000 residents and an average property crime rate of 28.3 per 1,000 people.

So while Montana’s violent crime rate is a smidge higher than Colorado’s average, its property crime rate is substantially lower than Colorado’s. It’s also crucial to factor in the disparity in population difference between the two states. Colorado has over triple the size of the population that Montana has, meaning that Colorado’s somewhat similar averages still result in a much higher quantity of crimes committed across the state as a whole. Living in Montana is not only an affordable housing choice but a safe one.

The Schools and Education Available in Montana

From elementary school to middle school to high school and beyond, Montana features some of the best schools in the U.S. Local rural areas such as Four Corners, a small and quiet hideaway from the larger cities, sport some of the finest elementary, middle, and high schools in the entire state. Sporting a local residency of only 3,000, this small town allows for a greater focus on educational funding and individualized education plans.

But that’s not to say the small rural areas are the only ones with great educational outlets. Simultaneously, the city of Bozeman is located near Four Corners, sports a substantially larger population (roughly 54,000), and has some of the most highly-ranked schools in all of Montana. Morning Star Elementary School is the most highly regarded elementary school in the state, and Bozeman High School is the most highly ranked high school, both of which are found in Bozeman.

The University of Montana & Montana State University

And, of course, one cannot speak about education in Montana without touching on both Montana State University and the University of Montana. Montana State University is located in Bozeman, while the University of Montana is located in Missoula. Both of these universities are public institutes that are highly regarded by the public and well-respected. In addition to these two headliners, Montana also features Rocky Mountain College, the University of Montana Western, and many more.

When considering potential future educational avenues for your family upon moving to Montana, the entire state has superb schooling options, but Bozeman simply cannot be beaten for its sensational across-the-board education, literally stemming from highly-ranked elementary schools all the way up to the iconic Montana State University.

Big City Living in the Big Sky State

From cities such as Bozeman to the state capital of Helena, the big cities of Montana offer the benefits of a metropolitan area but without the lunacy and crowding of other large cities. With plentiful public transport for those without a driver’s license, self-sufficient traffic systems, tons of walkways, and vendors serving at a routinely low cost, city life in Montana maintains the intimacy and activeness of the state at its finest.

So while the rural and urban areas of Montana offer substantially different experiences, your move to Montana does not have to sacrifice the benefits of one in the name of experiencing the other. Once Rocky Movers has your family’s belongings all delivered safely to Montana, our long-distance movers want to ensure that you are primed to get the most out of your experience living in Montana, at a low cost and with assuredness and reliability.

The Recreations and Nature of Montana

From the immense popularity of winter sports in Montana to the number of iconic national parks to the raging livelihood of ranching and farming, living in Montana offers a bevy of opportunities to engage in a lively and active lifestyle.

Sports in Montana: Skiing, Snowboarding, Hunting, and More

Winter sports and activities have become insanely popular in Montana. A Monatan winter is exceedingly cold and full of snow, making it an optimum location for many of the nation’s favorite winter sports to really take hold. Skiing and snowboarding, in particular, are not only local favorites but also veritable institutions of the state’s economy.

Ski Resorts in Montana

Montana has sixteen ski resorts, the most famous of which is the iconic Big Sky ski resort, named for the state’s trademark beautiful scenic views upon which Montana made its name. The Big Sky resort offers guests and residents over 5800 acres of terrain across which to ski and features a vertical drop of 4,350 feet. Those genuinely mind-boggling numbers are a huge part of what drives Montana’s tourism industry throughout the winter months as people flock to these ski resorts from across the globe.

How the Winter Effects Montana Living

These exceedingly cold winters will also invariably have an effect on your move to Montana. You’re going to want to have plenty of cold-weather clothing options and also ensure that you have a collection of basic survival supplies in case of winter-related emergencies.

Montana’s National Parks and Historic Locations

Montana is home to a great many national parks that serve to spotlight the state’s natural scenic beauty and bring attention to some of the most famous and historic places housed within its state lines.

Glacier National Park

A national monument that doubles as a historical gold mine, Glacier National Park houses signs of human life that date back more than 10,000 years. From the evidence of early man to the more recent history of its gold mines bringing settlers on pilgrimage to the state to form Montana in the first place, Glacier National Park is an indispensable part of Montana’s history.

The park offers over 750 miles of hiking trails, emphasizing Montana’s scenic wilderness. These trails are full of quiet beauty and solitude that cannot be experienced from the state’s country roads and is an experience many cannot recommend highly enough.

Yellowstone National Park

Even more iconic and widely known than Glacier is Yellowstone National Park. A key part of the ‘crown of the continent,’ Yellowstone is yet another national park that serves to spotlight the natural beauty of Montana with several lakes, rivers, unique flora and fauna, and numerous hunting opportunities.

Garnet Ghost Town

Crowned by Travel and Leisure, the “Coolest Ghost Towns in the U.S.,” Garnet Ghost Town is Montana’s premiere haunted locale, one that is highly praised as an entertainment attraction in and of itself and not only is also deeply tied to the history of Montana as a state.

Once a mining town in the eighteen hundreds, Garnet was home to nearly 1,000 people before being entirely deserted. Much like Glacier, this is an attraction rooted in the history of Montana in fascinating ways. It is an experience that will make you love Montana even more, better understanding not just the best cities of modern-day but also the settlements that led to their creation.

 

Wolf Discovery Center

This non-profit wildlife preserve and park is an edutainment center located within West Yellowstone and offers a chance for Montana residents to get up close and personal with several species of wildlife that reside right in their backyard in a safe and conducive environment.

With over 114 animals for guests to see and interact with, the Wolf Discovery Center is open year-round, allowing guests to also see firsthand how the changing seasons of their state affect the local wildlife and how they’ve adjusted to its conditions.

Great Falls

Great Falls is actually a city in Montana, one of the state’s three largest. Commonly referred to as the ‘Electric City,’ thanks to the large power station located within the city, the city is also located in close proximity to five different waterfalls in the area.

These waterfalls are what give the city its name and also make Great Falls an obvious tourism destination, both for its bustling city life and the scenic beauty of the falls themselves. In a unique way, Great Falls is something of a perfect encapsulation of Montana’s unique attributes.

 

Moss Mansion

Speaking of encapsulations of Montana’s history and beauty within its modern-day cities, Moss Mansion is a tourism destination located within the city of Billings, one of the other largest cities in Montana.

Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018, this red stone mansion from the early 1900s has been turned into a museum devoted to the history of Billings and Montana’s early development.

Ranching and Brewing are Thriving in Montana

Believe it or not, Montana has a higher population of cattle within its state than it does of humans. The agricultural business of ranching and farming yields nearly 4 billion dollars worth of income to Montana on an annual basis. According to the Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana has over 28,088 ranching and farming operations in operation currently. This is, once again, a direct reflection of just how committed the state is to its outdoor activities and recreations.

Montana Brewers Association

According to the Montana Brewers Association, there are more than 50 licensed breweries in Montana, which employ over 500 employees in total and bring in a staggering income of 60 million dollars annually.

Simultaneously, the big business of these breweries has directly led to home brewing becoming a large and profitable scene as well. The cost of home brewing has gone down substantially over the last two decades, making the home brewery scene an even more profitable boon to Montana’s economy.

The Undeniable Pros of Moving to Montana

Moving to Montana in 2022 is one of the smartest moving decisions you can make. Their economy is booming, the population density is only six people per square mile, and their prices are routinely affordable.

Montana remains one of the most rapidly expanding western states in every way. The plentiful opportunities mean incredible potential rewards for those moving to Montana, and the influx of people moving to Montana keeps those opportunities flowing. It’s a cyclical relationship, one in which everyone moving to Montana gets the chance to thrive just as much as Montana is thriving off of them.

So when you’re looking for a team to help assist in your moving to Montana, you need to look no further than Rocky Movers. With our affordable moving costs, experienced team, and genuine care and devotion, Rocky Movers is the perfect long-distance moving company to get you safely and promptly settled into your new home in Montana.